Santa Rosa. Paradise. Boulder County. Lahaina. Los Angeles.
All are places that have shown that American cities and their water systems weren’t built to withstand wildfire, experts say.
Related: California Wildfire Mitigation And Recovery Bill Package Introduced
Hydrants trickled. Pumps and treatment plants lost power. Chemical contaminants were sucked into pipes, requiring extensive and costly work. In Paradise alone, where the 2018 Camp Fire killed at least 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, rebuilding the drinking water system is expected to cost $125 million and take three-and-a half more years.
As wildfires grow